Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Cain, virtuoso of the roman noir, gives us a tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful story in double indemnity, an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. In a city where insurance salesmen are close to the bottom of the social pecking order, walter huff rates as average. Walter neff narrates quite a bit of this 1944 illy wilder classic, laying out the story of how a routine sales call somehow turned into a steamy adulterous affair with one phyllis dietrichson arbara. Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck seduces insurance.
The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of. After a short introduction to her character, i will examine phyllis in relation to men. The analysis of phyllis dietrichson in double indemnity 1944. Double indemnity is a 1944 film noir about an insurance rep who lets himself be talked into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigators suspicions directed by billy wilder and written by billy wilder and raymond chandler, based on a novella by james m. Be sure to check out our other tshirts using categories or search world cup, tv, soccer, movies.
Phyllis dietrichson is not the ultimate femme fatale. In the 1944 production, she was played by barbara stanwyck stanwyck was nominated for the academy award for best actress for her performance in the film version. In our film she is much more sexualized, at least at the outsetdirector miguel morayta lingers over her physical attractiveness in order that we know just how much she knows how to use it, as the phrase goes. Cinema scholars often refer to barbara stanwycks character of phyllis dietrichson in double indemnity 1944 as one of the top examples of the femme fatale, as her conniving spirit and good looks worked all the men in her story to her whims. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Double indemnity 31 scheming, having himself thought before how you could crook the house, and thus the shock at the dietrichson house must be more one of recognition than revelation. The film double indemnity is an american masterpiece also, the product of a creative holy trinity. It followed the timehonoured noir plotline of a man undone by an evil woman. Analysis of the film double indemnity 2728 words bartleby.
Next section the opening sequence summary and analysis previous section themes buy study guide. Here, i will point out what characterizes the showpiecefemme fatale, with reference to the sociocultural background. In double indemnity, billy wilders 1944 movie based on james m. Cain, 9780752864273, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. The chemistry between her and fred macmurray still has that crackle these many years later. There is no doubt in double indemnity, that phyllis dietrichson, the dissatisfied wife of a wealthy older man is being sexually objectified both by the imagery of the film and by her position in relation to the other characters.
Analysis of the film double indemnity 2728 words 11 pages double indemnity dir. Outdoors its nearly always night, while the interiors, at the dietrichson. This is a cool shirt for a party or any occasion for that matter. Dietrichson just unwitting signed carries a double indemnity clause which pays off double the face value in the event of death from a rare accident such as falling off a train. Cain novel by wilder and raymond chandler, double indemnity represents the highwater mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and expressionist lighting of modern cities. Stanwycks portrayal of dietrichson is considered one of the best femme. An insurance representative lets himself be talked by a seductive housewife into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james. When the flashback comes to an end, we see keyes listening to walters confession. Men in fedoras walk mean streets shrouded in shadow and women are sometimes the sirens to beckon them to their doom.
Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. Double indemnity is directed by billy wilder, who had help from raymond chandler in writing the screenplay, so snappy dialogue and perfect pacing are a given. On every level writing, direction, acting double indemnity 1944 is a triumph and stands as one of the greatest achievements in billy wilders career. Phyllis dietrichson the movie omits phylliss compulsively murderous streak and pathological devotion to death. Match games the malemale relationship in double indemnity. Double indemnity by billy wilder billy wilder, fred. The character of phyllis dietrichson challenges patriarchal gender stereotypes and is defined in relation to men place 47. In your mind, are there any heroes in double indemnity.
Billy wilder 1944 is a film about an insurance sales man walter neff fred macmurray that falls for a highly sexual, scandalous woman, phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck who attempts to kill her husband. Dietrichson is found dead on a traintrack, the police accept the determination of. Digital download pdf pattern walter neff fred macmurray and phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck plot phyllis husbands demise at the corner grocery store in this iconic scene from billy wilders classic noir, double indemnity. This shrewd, smoothly tawdry thriller, directed by billy wilder, is one of the high points of nineteenforties films. The name was changed from general fidelity in cains original novel more. This phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck double indemnity boogeyman t shirt is provided on 100% prewashed cotton. The story is told as a flashback by neff fred macmurray.
Cains novel, insurance man fred macmurray walter neff conspires with ultimate femme fatale barbara stanwyck phyllis dietrichson to eliminate her husband and collect the insurance. Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck double indemnity. Cain, of course, along with wilder and raymond chandler, who wrote the script. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. One of noirs most infamous femme fatales is phyllis dietrichson in double indemnity 1944, portrayed by barbara stanwyck. Double indemnity is filled with wonderful examples of this style of hardboiled dialogue and many of the early scenes between walter neff fred macmurray and phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck are filled with suggestive, evocative and witty lines. Neff meets the alluring phyllis dietrichson during a house call to remind her husband to renew. Double indemnity screenplay by billy wilder and raymond chandler based on the novel double indemnity in three of a kind by james m. Walter huff was an insurance salesman with an unfailing instinct for clients who might be in trouble, and his instinct led him to phyllis nirdlinger. Genre and film noir double indemnity 01 study guide 11 genre and film noir double indemnity contents. Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwych and how both came to murder her husband. Ac m urray walter neff b arbara s tanwyck phyllis dietrichson e dward g. In the opening, at the very start o the film, there is a close up shot of the main character, called phyllis.
Double indemnity paramount, 1944, 104 minutes director billy wilder writers billy wilder and raymond. Phyllis dietrichson phyllis nirdlinger, in the book is a fictional character in the book and two film adaptations of james m. Billy wilders double indemnity is a film about a murder, a love affair, and a betrayal. Cain this study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of double indemnity. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming city of hollywood. Still, he is savvy enough to get through the door and get the prospect talking, except that when he makes a call to a certain mr. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and. See more ideas about double indemnity, film noir and barbara stanwyck. An insurance rep lets himself be talked into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigators suspicions. Neff comes through the double entrance doors from the re. In 1938, walter neff, an experienced salesman of the pacific all risk insurance co. Cain novel by director wilder and novelist raymond chandler, it tells the story of an insurance salesman, played by fred macmurray, who is lured into a murderforinsurance plot by barbara.
The suspense is palpable, and the characterization is spoton. Beginning with the films treatment of gender roles, double indemnity receives high praise for the character phyllis dietrichson and her embodiment of the femme fatale or dangerous woman. Double indemnity 99 movie clip i love you too 1944. Cains double indemnity and the film adaptation by billy wilder and raymond chandler for the may noir book of the month club. Why is phyllis in double indemnity hailed as one of. Dietrichson is found dead on a traintrack, the police accept the determination of accidental death.
A key element in film noir is the femme fatale, and most film critics put barbara stanywicks phyllis dietrichson at the top of the fatale heap. Jointly they simulate dietrichsons inadvertent death in order to meet the criteria for the double indemnity, but things go awry when neffs manager, barton keyes, starts to infer murder. Wilders double indemnity, a confession that tells how he fell for femme fatale phyllis dietrichson. Cain characters walter neff phyllis dietrichson barton keyes lola dietrichson mr. The murder is executed beautifully, but neffs associate edward g. Walter makes a desperate attempt to escape but he slumps in the doorway under keyes cool gaze.
Wilder in later years was said both to have regarded that bizarre wig she wears throughout the movie as his biggest mistake in making it and, perhaps. Seitz costume design by edith head makeup by wally westmore. The story also includes the investigatory process leading up to the moment of narration. Phyllis will later claim, dietrichson is constantly boorish.
Cain was very pleased with the way his book turned out on the screen. Double indemnity, american film noir, released in 1944, that was considered the quintessential movie of its genre. Double indemnity is 75, but anklets and film noir are. This is double indemnity the murder by rob angiello on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. She is a beautiful and alluring woman, barely older than lola, her husbands daughter from a previous marriage. Dietrichson b yron b arr ii nino zachetti r ichard g aines edward. Phyllis and walter make arrangements for it to appear as if mr. Double indemnity and the hollywood production code b. Phyllis dietrichson is a fictional character in the book and two film adaptations of james m. Spanish revival home is where neff first met scantily clad phyllis dietrichson. Neff starts an acquaintance with phylliss stepdaughter lola, who suspects that phyllis has started going out with her lolas previous. The obvious betrayal is by phyllis dietrichson to her husband, but another is done by the protagonist, walter neff, against his friend and boss, barton keyes. Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck seduces insurance agent walter neff fred macmurray into murdering her husband to collect his accident policy.
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